In a devastating series of attacks on several communities in Benue State, at least 23 individuals, including farmers and villagers, have been killed. The violence occurred across multiple local government areas, including Logo, Kwande, Ukum, and Guma. Reports indicate that eight farmers were killed in the early hours of Saturday in Jootar, a border community between Taraba and Benue states. These victims, who had spent the night in the area, were ambushed while on their way to their farms. Among those slain were Joseph Sevav Yagba, a father, and his son Destiny, a second-year student at the Federal University Wukari.
While the exact identity of the attackers remains unclear, there are suspicions that the killings were carried out by either armed herders or members of the Jukun militia. Jootar, located on the boundary between the Tiv and Jukun ethnic groups, has been a hotbed of tension between these two communities.
In another brutal incident on Friday, armed assailants believed to be herders attacked Ayilamo in Logo Local Government Area, resulting in the deaths of nine individuals. Additional attacks in Kwande and Guma Local Government Areas each claimed three lives, bringing the total death toll to 23.
Mathew Abo, the state Commissioner for Information, confirmed the attack in Jootar but could not verify the killings in the other areas. He mentioned that while the region has experienced ongoing ethnic conflicts, the exact perpetrators behind these latest assaults remain unconfirmed.
